| crime analysis | The use of systematic analytical methods to acquire timely and pertinent information on crime patterns and trend correlations; subdivided into administrative, strategic, and tactical analysis.
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| crimogen | (1) An individually known offender who is responsible for a large number of crimes; (2) one victim who reports a large number of crimes.
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| hot spot | A location where various crimes are committed on a regular basis, usually by different offenders. Also called a hot dot.
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| intelligence/analytical cycle | A five-part process designed to produce usable information for the client.
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| National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) | Operated by the FBI, an organization that provides investigative and operational assistance to agencies dealing with violent crimes; consists of the BEA, CASMIRC, and VICAP.
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| National Crime Information Center (NCIC) | The FBI's online system of extensive databases on criminals and crime; available to federal, state, and local agencies.
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| series | A crime characteristic in which crimes of the same type are committed over a short period of time, usually by the same offender.
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| solvability factors | Used to screen and evaluate the information in an offense/incident report to determine if there is sufficient information to warrant a follow-up investigation. Such factors include whether suspects are named, the existence of significant physical evidence, the use or display of deadly weapons, and similarities to recently reported crimes.
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| surveillance | The secretive and continuous observation of persons, places, and things to obtain information concerning the activities and identity of individuals.
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| trends | A general tendency in the occurrence of crime across a large geographic area over an extended period of time.
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| Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) | FBI unit whose mission is to facilitate cooperation, communication, and coordination between law enforcement agencies and to provide support in their efforts to investigate, identify, track, apprehend, and prosecute violent serial offenders.
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